Our newest PreK-2 Storytime STEM+C Adventure, Mouse Adventures, builds a foundation for computer science while also reinforcing mathematics concepts in an engaging and fun way. The Adventure is anchored by the popular series of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. It is easy to use, effective, and your kids will love learning!
Mouse Adventures consists of five integrated STEM+C activities that each take 45 minutes to implement. The Adventure includes three books from the popular If You Give a Mouse a Cookie series, 6 Blue-Bots with charging tower, 6 story-themed vinyl mats, facilitator guides, and all hands-on and print materials for 24 children.
The Adventure was piloted by one of our collaborative teachers, Cari Kelm with her Kindergarten classroom.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
After reading If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, children sequence the events in this fun story. They each draw a family picture and use manipulatives to represent the number of family members, later working with a partner to find the total family members utilizing addition strategies. Our pilot teacher noted, “the students enjoyed this activity and loved sharing things about their family with their small group. Introducing the concept of counting family members using ten frames and counters was beneficial and an effective way to integrate ELA with Math skills. Children then transform Blue-Bot into Mouse-Bot, exploring how the robot works.
If You Take a Mouse to School Part 1
After listening to the story, children program Mouse-Bot to play after school on a colorful vinyl mat featuring landmarks from the story. Symbol cards help children keep track of and debug their programs. Our pilot teacher shared that the children thoroughly enjoyed the book, and their excitement was palpable, especially when they encountered the interactive mat. “Using the map on the mat as a visual aid, the class engaged in a discussion about the various locations depicted, which helped to focus their attention and set the stage for the activities ahead. The inclusion of mouse costumes added a delightful touch to the session, eliciting smiles and fostering a sense of immersion in the story.
If You Take a Mouse to School Part 2
Children discuss how they can help Mouse clean up the purple goo mess from the science experiment. They watch a purple bath bomb fizz, simulating the science experiment from the book. Using simple materials, children plan, make, and test a tool for Mouse-Bot to clean up the purple goo. Our pilot teacher shared that the activity seamlessly tied into the story, serving as a compelling motivator for student engagement. “The simplicity and accessibility of the materials ensured easy replenishment when supplies ran low, contributing to the smooth execution of the lesson. The Engineering Lesson proved to be a resounding success in our classroom. The utilization of small bins and 2oz cups as materials was effective, facilitating easy manipulation and adaptation for the students. They demonstrated commendable ingenuity and problem-solving skills as they devised tools to tackle the challenge of cleaning up the purple goo. The activity provided ample opportunities for iteration, collaboration, and group work, fostering a spirit of teamwork and shared discovery among the students. A highlight of the lesson was the comparative analysis of the remaining amounts of purple goo from each group, which served as tangible evidence for evaluating the effectiveness of different design approaches. This process not only reinforced the scientific method but also encouraged critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making among the students. Overall, the Engineering Lesson was a testament to the power of hands-on, experiential learning in fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. It provided a memorable and enriching experience for the students, underscoring the value of incorporating engineering principles into the classroom curriculum.”
If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 1
Children engage in a counting collection activity, counting an age-appropriate number of tickets that Mouse made for his rock concert After the math integration, children decode a sequence shown in symbol cards to determine where the program leads them on the mat, hopefully finding the rock concert posters. Our pilot teacher commented, “the enthusiasm of the students remained palpable upon discovering the continued use of the mats. Working collaboratively in groups of three, they eagerly anticipated each secret code, demonstrating both their reading comprehension and code-entry skills. When working on the secret code, she noted, that while the class completed the first code together, the subsequent codes were tackled autonomously within the groups, providing valuable practice in code interpretation and execution using the Mouse-Bot.
If You Give a Mouse a Brownie Part 2
Children send Mouse on their own Adventure on the vinyl mat representing places from the Mouse stories. They map out their route, with the goal of avoiding obstacles, but jumping in as many puddles as possible. To intergrate mathematics, children try to make the most efficient route possible, adding and subtracting points for their program according to provided guidelines. A storyboarding activity also provides an English Language Arts extension where children can write a narrative about Mouse’s new adventure to accompany their code.
In conclusion, our pilot teacher noted that she found this unit to be highly engaging and full of potential. A big Thank You to Cari for piloting this unit and sharing her experiences.
